Punjab | Pakistan

LAHORE: The Punjab government on Wednesday imposed an “immediate and complete” ban on flying drones outdoors across the province for the next 30 days, citing risk to public safety. In a notification issued by the Punjab home department, available with Dawn, a complete ban on the outside flying of drones was announced under Section 144 (6) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, which is to remain in force “for a period of 30 days from the date of issuance or until withdrawn earlier”. However, the notification said that the ban did not apply to “use of small drones for coverage of indoor activities, such as in halls or marquees”. It further added that the ban was also not applicable to “drones used by intelligence and law enforcement agencies”. The home department noted that “credible reports and prevailing circumstances indicate that the increasing and unregulated use of drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) within the territorial limits of Punjab poses potential risks to public safety, security of public and pr...

Maryam Nawaz has decided to introduce province-wide infrastructure and design standardisation to ensure uniform development, improved urban discipline, and a cohesive visual identity across Punjab.

Punjab has become the first province in the country to establish the Provincial Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Centre (PIFTAC) to strengthen intelligence coordination and internal security.

ISLAMABAD: The PTI on Monday expressed concern over deaths resulting from operations conducted by Punjab’s Crime Control Department (CCD), calling for a judicial inquiry. The remarks come after a fact-finding report by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) called for an urgent high-level judicial inquiry into deaths during CCD operations. It should be mentioned that the CCD had rejected the HRCP’s report, terming claims of staged encounters and extrajudicial actions as unfounded and contrary to the department’s operational framework. In a statement issued on Monday, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram questioned how so many deaths were possible in alleged encounters. “During the last eight months, as many as 670 encounters and 924 deaths have been reported. What is happening in Punjab? Is it an official state policy?” Akram asked. He asked why the government was silent on the report issued by the HRCP and why its findings were not being taken seriously. “Will the law be enforced thro...

LAHORE - More than 300 ‘Nigehban Dastarkhwans’ were established across Punjab on the directives of Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz Sharif, with the support of philanthropists and organisations.

Principals of private medical colleges across Punjab have approached authorities to push the deadline for filling remaining MBBS seats to February 28, citing a number of vacancies still unfilled after the earlier February 13 closing date.

LAHORE: The Punjab home department on Friday issued a list of 89 proscribed organisations and unregistered charitable institutions, warning citizens that giving charity to these entities would be treated as a crime under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. According to a statement issued by the Punjab Home Department spokesperson, anyone assisting the banned organisations involved in terrorism or anti-state activities “will face legal action” as it was a crime under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. The spokesperson said that charitable organisations in Punjab must be registered with the Punjab Charity Commission, adding that citizens should donate their zakat, charity, and contributions only to registered organisations. “All registered institutions can be verified through the QR code printed on their certificates. Citizens should ensure that their donations reach the rightful beneficiaries rather than terrorists,” he said. The department urged residents to lodge complaints against organisations involved in fraud, terr...

LAHORE: The Punjab government has directed all teachers working in public sector schools across the province to wear black gowns during school hours while performing academic duties, introducing a standardised dress code aimed at promoting uniformity and professional identity. A notification issued by the Punjab School Education Department on February 19, available with Dawn, stated that the new dress code will come into effect from February 23 (Monday). The department directed all chief executive officers (CEOs) of district education authorities (DEAs) to ensure the implementation of the directives across Punjab. The notification said that teaching was a profession that commanded respect, authority and moral leadership in society, and the dignity and credibility of teachers was reflected through their “conduct and appearance”. It stated that a “well-defined dress code” would enhance respect for teachers among students, parents and the community, while also promoting discipline, equality and a focused learnin...

The Lahore High Court has directed authorities to submit comprehensive information regarding the availability of ventilators in hospitals across Punjab while hearing a petition concerning deaths caused by measles.

Dense fog blanketed large parts of Punjab during the night between Thursday and Friday, severely disrupting routine life and forcing the closure of several major motorways due to extremely low visibility.

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari on Wednesday said that the Basant festival, which was revived by the provincial government earlier this month in Lahore after an 18-year hiatus, would now be celebrated in February 2027. “I want to state categorically … that Basant will be celebrated in February 2027. No suggestion for celebrating it before that is under consideration,” she said in a video message posted by the Punjab government’s official account on X. She also noted that people in a couple of cities had celebrated the festival over the last few days. “We did not give a harsh reaction at that as there were no losses reported,” Bokhari added. The Punjab minister highlighted people’s “excitement” for the festival and said she shared the same sentiment. Bokhari reiterated that the Basant would be celebrated in February 2027 and would be “bigger and better than the one held this year”. The three-day Basant festival was celebrated in Lahore from February 6-8, following the Punjab government’s decision to l...

LAHORE: Punjab officials are tight-lipped on reports that claim the provincial government has acquired a Gulfstream aircraft for “VIP transport role”. Meanwhile, the alleged move continues to draw criticism. On Monday, it was claimed by an X account, The Stratcom Bureau — which mainly shares defence- and security-relates news — that the “government of Punjab, Pakistan has acquired a new, 2019-manufactured Gulfstream GVII-G500 aircraft for their VIP transport role”. In a separate post by the same account, it was claimed that “the registration number of the luxury plane is N144S” and its “old Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) registration would be changed to Pakistani registration soon”. The post also said that the approximate asking price for the aircraft was $38 million to $42m. Meanwhile, the US FAA registry shows that the aircraft is currently owned by TVPX Aircraft Solutions Inc. Trustee, which, as per its website, commonly acts as the registered owner for aircraft trusts, facilitating the buying, sell...

LAHORE: A fact-finding report by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has called for an urgent high-level judicial inquiry into deaths resulting from operations conducted by Punjab’s Crime Control Department (CCD), alleging that the department has adopted a “deliberate policy of staged police encounters leading to extrajudicial killings”. Last year, the Punjab government formally approved the establishment of the CCD to curb organised crime and protect life and property in the province. However, human rights advocates and civil society members have been voicing their concerns about the alleged encounters and the number of casualties. According to the HRCP, based on press accounts, at least 670 CCD-led encounters were carried out across Punjab over eight months in 2025. These operations reportedly resulted in the deaths of 924 suspects, while only two police officials were killed during the same timeframe, it said. The HRCP noted that the sharp disparity in casualties — averaging more than two fatal ...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Monday said that the people of PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were living in the stone age, critising the province’s government for not taking steps for development in the age of technology. Addressing a laptop distribution scheme at a Gujrat university, CM Maryam highlighted that students in Punjab had access to Honhaar scholarships, laptop schemes, Parwaz Card, green buses and technical training programmes. “So there is Honhaar here, and incitement there, but this is nothing to rejoice about,” she said, adding that she was extremely upset that the “people of KP were still living in the stone age”. Maryam stated: “They do not know what development is. They do not realise that Honhaar scholarships also exist if one does not have the resources for their child’s studies. “They do not know that you must have a gadget or a laptop or an iPad or a computer in your hands if you are to meet global standards in today’s age.” Indirectly noting that the PTI had been in power in KP for t...

The National Database and Registration Authority has simplified the biometric verification process for vehicle transfers in Punjab by introducing an online facility through the Pak‑ID Mobile App.

Syed Zaeem Hussain Qadri, senior leader and Punjab spokesperson of the Awam Pakistan Party, passed away early Friday morning after suffering a heart attack, family sources confirmed.

LAHORE: A new ordinance promulgated by Punjab Governor Saleem Haider Khan on Wednesday declared child marriage a non-bailable offence and set 18 years as the minimum legal age of marriage for both males and females, eliminating the previous gender-based distinctions. Up until now, the minimum legal age for marriage in Punjab was 18 years for men and 16 years for women under the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929. This has changed with the promulgation of the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Ordinance 2026, under which offenders could face up to seven years in prison and fines of up to Rs1 million. The law comes into effect immediately across the province and was promulgated under Article 128(1) of the Constitution as the Punjab Assembly is not in session. Under the new legal framework, nikah khawans (marriage registrars) have been barred from registering child marriages and could face imprisonment of up to one year and fine of Rs100,000 in case of violations. Similarly, adults contracting marriage with ...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has announced a Rs10 billion allocation for the Frontier Corps (FC) to strengthen the force’s capacity-building and bolster security in Balochistan. Addressing FC headquarters during her visit to Balochistan on Tuesday, she paid tribute to those serving in Balochistan under difficult and dangerous circumstances. In her speech, which was aired on Wednesday, Maryam shared that she found out a few months ago that the FC required Rs10 billion for “capacity building”. “I was asked to contribute whatever Punjab could,” she stated. “I decided it was not a favour … it was a responsibility. I said we will provide them the entire Rs10bn.” The chief minister highlighted that the allocation aimed to enhance operational readiness and strengthen security efforts in Balochistan, particularly in light of recent threats and attacks. CM Maryam’s visit came in the wake of a spate of attacks across Balochistan on January 31, which brought parts of the restive province to a standstill for severa...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Tuesday paid a visit to Quetta, where she met with her Balochistan counterpart CM Sarfraz Bugti and assured him of her full support. CM Maryam’s visit comes in the wake of a spate of attacks across Balochistan on January 31, which brought parts of the restive province to a standstill for several days. Security forces had responded by killing a total of 216 terrorists during “Operation Radd-ul-Fitna-1” in the province. “As the chief minister of Punjab, as a Pakistani and as your sister, all services and resources of Punjab, whatever cooperation or support you need — whether in operations against khawarij here or any kind of challenges in the government — we are with you,” Maryam said. She further assured Bugti, “Whatever kind of support you need, I am just a call away. I will be very glad if I can assist you or do something for the people of Balochistan.” Noting that this was her first visit to another province after assuming the office of Punjab CM in February 2024, Marya...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Monday praised authorities for organising a “safe Basant” festival over the weekend in Lahore. In televised remarks, she expressed gratitude to various authorities for their arrangements and work during the three-day festival to make sure it was a success. “I wish to praise all 15 departments of the Punjab government for arranging a safe Basant with a whole-of-government approach,” she said. She made special mention of Punjab Inspector General Rao Abdul Kareem, Lahore Capital City Police Officer Bilal Kamyana, Lahore Deputy Inspector General Operations Faisal Kamran and their teams. CM Maryam also expressed happiness that citizens followed standard operating procedures and installed “safety rods” on their bikes, aimed at preventing motorcyclists from suffering injuries caused by kite strings. “It was a positive change for lots of people, where people saw that citizens in Lahore were abiding by the law and following safety protocols,” she added. “It gave me hope tha...